Rail-joint.



PATENTED MAY 8, 1906.

E. B. HARDMAN.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 31, 1906.

a u m a 1 to z Harri/71a n Wit ooeo M W 7 J UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

fatented May 8, 1906.

Application filed January 3]., 1906. Serial No. 298,834.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR B. I-IARDMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Joppa, in the county of Braxton and State of Test Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RailJoints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention provides improvements in joint means for rails of the scarf type.

The intent of the invention is to secure simple structure of the rail ends whereby the same may be snugly joined, whereby the rigidity of the rails at the point of meeting is subserved, and whereby a continuous bearing at the top of the rails is afforded for the wheels of the rolling-stock to do away with the noise and vibration incident to the ordinary type of joint means.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire aknowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and ac companying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing 'a rail-joint embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 .is a top plan view. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the ends of adjacent rails, bringing out clearly the exact formation thereof.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

In the drawings the rails are designated 1 and 2, and these rails may be of any suitable contour, being preferably enlarged somewhat at the ends where the interlocking parts are formed to establish the desired connection. The rail 1 has its upper portion cut away at the end, as shown at 3, and the lower projecting portion 4 is formed with a longitudinal tapering recess 5 in its under side. Extending from the top or ball portion of the rail 1 is a tapered extension 6, which projects lonitudinally therefrom, with its upper surface flush with that of the top of the rail and with its under surface spaced from the top of the projecting portion 4 of said rail.

The rail 2 is of a formation similar to the rail 1, save that said rail 2 has its lower portion cut away, as at 7, to receive the projecting portion 4 of rail 1, while the upper projectin portion 8 of rail 2 is formed in its upper si e with a longitudinal recess 9, similar to the recess 5 of the rail 1 and tapering toward its inner extremity. The recess 9 is adapted to receive the extension 6 of the rail 1, and an extension 10 projects from the lower portion of the rail in a manner similar to the formation of the extension 6 and is adapted to be received in the recess 5 of the rail 1. The extension 10, however, has its lower side flush with the bottom of the rail. The tapered formation of the extensions 6 and 10 is designed to facilitate the snug fitting together of the rail ends, in that when the same are interlocked the extensions 6 and 10, with regard to the recesses 9 and 5, respectively, will have a wedging action to take up all play, and this is of no small advantage. The extension 6,received in the recess or seat 9, forms a continuous bearing at the top of the rail across the point of j ointure. The structure of the ends of the rails is exactly the same, except that the formation of the parts is reversed to enable the same to be matched or connected as heretofore described.

Havin thus described the invention, what is claimec as new is 1. In a rail-joint, the combination of a rail having its upper portion cut away longitudinally thereof and formed with a longitudinal extension flush with the top of said rail, the projecting lower portion of the rail aforesaid having a narrow longitudinal recess in its under side, a second rail having its lower portion cut away to receive the projecting lower portion of the first-mentioned rail, and an extension projecting from the lower cut away portion of the second rail and in spaced relation to the upper portion of said rail, the lastmentioned extension entering the recess in the bottom of the first-mentioned rail, the second rail having a recess in its upper or ball portion to receive the extension of the firstmentioned rail.

2. In a rail-joint, the combination of the rail 1 having its upper portion cut away at the end and having its lower projecting portion formed with a tapering seat or recess on its under side and longitudinally thereof, and

the rail 2 having its lower portion cut avvay rail to establish a snug interlocking connecat the end to receive the projecting portion of tion, as specified. IO the rail 1, the upper portion of the rail 2 being In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature provided with a ongitudinal tapering seat or in presence of two itnesses. recess also, each of the rails having alongitu- EDGAR B. HARDIVIAN. [L. s.] dinal tapering extension projecting from the Witnesses:

same at its cut-away portion and received in GRAFTON WHITE,

the longitudinal tapering recess of the other C. A. WHITE. 

